Belt tightener



Patented July 4, 1950 BELT TIGHTENER Arvel L. Vandergrifi, Columbus, Ga., assignor to Lummus Cotton Gin Company, a corporation of Georgia Application June 29, 1949, Serial No. 101,981

Y 4 Claims. 1

My present invention relates to belt tighteners and the like, and has for an object the provision of a simple yet effective mechanism for holding a belt tight, and one in which the belt may be easily and quickly loosened or tightened.

Another object of my invention is to provide a belt tightener in which an idler pulley is carried on the end of a pivotally mounted arm, and in which the pulley is held in contact with the belt by means of a pivoted rod passing through a hole in a pivotally mounted holder, the parts being so assembled that when the rod and holder are disposed at 90 degrees to one another the rod may slide freely in the hole, and when the holder is released it rocks about its pivot point, thereby to bind against the rod and prevent its withdrawal, holding the belt tight.

A belt tightener illustrating the features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a piece of apparatus embodying a series of pulleys over which a belt is passed, and showing my invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, and showing my improved tightener holding a belt tight;

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken along line III-III of Fig 1 and drawn to an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic, enlarged sectional view illustrating the binding action of the pivoted holder on the rod passing therethrough.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, I illustrate the same in association with a piece of machinery embodying a housing It] and having a plurality of pulleys I! on the side thereof over which is trained a V- belt I 2. Mounted on the side of the housing It by means of studs I3 is a bracket l4 carrying an outstanding stub shaft l6. Pivotally mounted on the shaft for movement in a vertical plane is an arm ll. On one end of arm I! is a shaft l8 carrying an idler pulley l9.

Mounted on the side of the housing 10 by means of studs 23 is a bracket 22 carrying an outstanding pin 23. Pivotally mounted about the pin 23 is a sleeve 24, and secured to the sleeve as by welding thereto is a bar 26. The bar 26 has a longer end 21, and a shorter end 28, when considering its point of attachment to thesleeve 24, and is mounted to rock in substantially the same vertical plane as is the arm ll, In the shorter end 28 I provide an opening 29. Passing loose- 1y through the opening 29 is the lower end of a round rod 3 l. The rod 3| is bent over at its upper end 32, and is pivotally mounted in an opening provided therefor intermediate the end of the arm I1 and the shaft IS. The end 32 of the rod 3| may be held in place by means of Washers 33 and cotter pins 34. v

From the foregoing the method of constructing and using my improved belt tightener may be readily explained and understood. With the parts assembled in the relation shown in the drawing, the idlerpulley [9 having the belt [2 trained thereover may be moved upwardly as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing by grasping the outer end of arm [1 and pulling the same down. Since the handle end 21 of bar 25 overhangs the pivot point 23 more than the end 28, downward movement of pin 31 causes the opening 29 to become aligned with the pin, permitting the pin to slide therethrough. Upon releasing the handle 21 of the bar 26, the bar rocks about the pin 23 due to the weight of the end 2! thereof, thus bringing the upper and lower edges of the opening 29 into binding contact with the rod 3|. The tightened belt tends to rock the arm I! clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, causing the bar 26 to bind tightly about the rod 3|. The pulley i9 is thus held raised to the selected tightness of the belt. In order to release the same it is only necessary to raise upwardly slightly on the handle 21, bring the rod 3! and bar 26 normal to each other, centering or aligning the hole 29 with respect to the pin 3|, permitting the pin to slide freely through the hole.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved belt tightener which is simple of construction and operation, My invention is particularly useful in those cases wherein it is desired to frequently tighten 0r loosen a belt, and particularly useful wherein the time involved in loosening and retightening a belt is a material factor. In actual operation I have found that my improved belt tightener is satisfactory in every way, and that it is not subject to becoming loosened due to vibration of the machine on which it is installed. The parts are simple of construction, free of wear, and positive in operation. While I have shown and described the pin 3| and opening 29 as being round, it will be apparent that other forms of pins and openings may be used if desired.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without de- 3, parting from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a belt tightener or the like, a pivoted arm carrying adjacent one end a pulley over which is trained the belt to be tightened, a=pin pivotally mounted to the arm on the opposite'side of the pivot point thereof fIOm the pulley and between the pivot point for the arm and the other endof the arm, and a pivotally mounted member: hay.- ing an opening therein of a size to pass the pin When the opening is axially aligned with the pinand to bind about the pin when the opening-is out of axial alignment therewith.

2. In a belt tightener, an arm pivotallymounted intermediate its ends, a pulley rotatably mounted on the arm on one side of the pivot pointithereof, a pin pivotally mounted to the arm on the oppositeside of the ar-m pivotpoint, anda locking ,member the form. of a pivotally mounted flat .bar having an opening therein throughwhich the pin passes, said opening being of -a sizeto freely pass the pinwhen the flatabaris normal to the ,pin-andfor, the .walls thereof to bind about the pin when the flat bar is out of 90 relation with respect to the side walls of saidopening.

' 3. In abeItitightener, an arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, a pulley rotatably mounted 1 adjacent .one end of the arm,- .a 'pin pivotally mounted to thearm on the other sideof the pivot passes, saidopening being of a size-to freely pass:

said pinwhen axially aligned therewith andfor 4 the side walls thereof to bind against the pin when the opening is out of axial alignment therewith, and extensions on said arm and pivoted member forming handles for rocking the same about their pivot points.

4. In a belt tightener, an arm pivotally mounted intermediate its ends for movement in a vertical plane, an idler pulley adjacentone end of said arm over which is trained the belt to be tightened, a bar disposed beneath the arm and mounted intermediate its ends for pivotal movement in substantially the same vertical plane occupied by the arm, a pin pivoted to the arm on the side of the 'pivot point thereof opposite the pulley, there REFERENCES CITED The-following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,188,810 Mitchell June 27, 1916 1,978,526 Eppler, Jr. Oct. 30, 1934 

